20 Little Prom Queens
by Little Miss Sorrow
Summary: Elliot Daniels is shot during her High School prom, why? and who is her killer?
1. Elliot Daniels

Disclaimer: CSI belongs, as always, to CBS.

AN: Thank you Stella Taylor for your help Betaing this. Also, my knowledge of guns equals zero (before this now at least I know something) so don't be too upset with me for any possible mistakes, but please, do drop me a line telling me where the mistake has been made so I can learn till next time, after all practise makes perfect.  
Cheers  
La Suede.

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**20 Little Prom Queens  
**_by: La Suede_

**Elliot Daniels**

Elliot Daniels smiled; her eyes twinkled in the spotlight and her memory saving all of the details of this night. She looked out over the room filled with people, all looking at her; she liked to think of them as her court. If possible her smile grew even bigger when they placed the crown on her head, and even as she fell her smile never faltered. The proper little prom queen.

­­­

Detectives Mac Taylor and Stella Bonasera were the first from the crime lab to arrive. Together they took in the scene in front of them, a school gymnastic hall filled to the brim with teenagers dressed to the nines. All of them looked anxious, some looked frightened, a few were holding their date steady and a still a few of them looked curious.

The CSIs made their way through the crowd towards the podium, which was now sealed off with yellow tape. Someone held up the tape and they ducked under. Mac called out to Don Flack, asking him what had happened.

A grim-faced Flack nodded to the girl on the ground, "Prom Queen, just got the crown." He shook his head. "She never saw it coming".

Mac kneeled down beside the girl surveying her closely, he could only see one entrance wound, right beside her left ear: neat, clean and fatal. Above him Stella snapped pictures of the girl.

He looked up at his partner and noted she looked a little bit queasy. And he knew instinctively that something was not right. He made a mental note to ask her later.

Next to her stood Flack, he was occupied by flipping through his notebook; he apparently found the right page because he cleared his throat:

"Ok, so her name is Elliot Daniels, she's 17 years old and brutally gunned down..." Stella gave him a look "... apparently she was well liked by everyone"

"Clearly not everyone" Mac flipped in.

Stella walked around the crime scene, she had seen it many times before, young life ended to quick, she never got used to it, but she could suppress the feelings and work like she should. But this time she could not stay cool, she could not suppress the queasiness, she could not forget. Hand over her mouth she fled the prom hall, heading outside. Leaning over a railing she emptied her stomach on the ground. Someone pulled back her hair and gently rubbed her back.

"Want to talk about it?" Mac's voice came from behind.

Stella only shook her head. Not now, not ever she thought. She couldn't and she wouldn't. After convincing Mac that she was OK, that it must have been something she had eaten, she went in search for a bathroom, where she washed her face and calmed down.

When they returned to the lab, Mac called everyone into the layout room.

"This is what we know: Elliot Daniels was killed on her prom night, presumably shot to death. She was a well liked girl, whom no one seemed to have anything against. We will know more when we've talked to the eyewitnesses, Danny you start processing the victims clothes, Lindsay, when you've wrapped up your current case, come find me".

Danny and Lindsay left the room and Stella was about to follow but Mac grabbed her arm.

"Ok, so you want to tell me what's going on? I'm not stupid, Stella. It's not food poisoning; we ate the same thing for lunch." He looked at her pointedly.

Damn, Stella thought, she was not about to tell him the truth, but she had to say something, she opted for a half-truth.

"I don't want to talk about it ok?" she looked him in the eyes as if she could will him to not ask her anything else.

"That's your choice, but I can't have you throwing up on my crime scenes, so figure out how to handle it and get back to me then" Mac started to head out from the layout room but Stella followed him.

He gave her a look as if asking what she was doing.

"We're working this case together, OK?" Mac started to say something, but Stella cut him short "I'm driving".


	2. Ode to Detective Bonasera

Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

AN: Well here comes the seccond chapter, I truly hope it's good. I hate to sound whiny, but I'd really appreciate if you would dropp me a line(review) and tell me what you think. It is really helpful. Also, Lindsay has been in, I suppose two episodes here in Sweden, so I don't really know her yet hopfully I got her right.  
Cheers  
La Suede

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**Ode to Detective Bonasera**

Ever since her odd behaviour on the crime scene that evening, Mac had been keeping his eyes on her and it annoyed Stella to no end. It had gotten so far that he had almost refused to let her accompany him down to the morgue for a walkthrough of the autopsy. She managed to over-ride his objections, again.  
Dr Zao stated the obvious; she had been shot to death. The bullet had been a through and through so they would have to return to the crime scene to retrieve it. (_I can't believe we missed that! Mac was outraged_). Stomach contents showed she had eaten a steady meal of hamburger and fries (_how romantic, Stella huffed_) before her death. Toxicology showed nothing out of the ordinary, except a small amount of alcohol, but given the circumstances that wasn't exactly odd.

They thanked him and returned to the car.

"I'm heading down to the scene to get the bullet, you want to come?" Mac asked. By now he was clearly tired of starting arguments that he was not going to win. So he was surprised when she answered, "Nah, think I'm gonna get back and help Danny with the clothes"

Mac nodded thoughtfully and they got into the car and drove back to the lab. Silence engulfed them and it was not until Stella pulled up by the lab it was broken by Mac:

"Send Lindsay down to the scene if she's finished with her case" he said as he went around the car to the drivers seat.

"Will do" Stella said as she tossed the car keys over the car.

Mac snatched them and drove away.  
...>

Stella un-clasped her cell phone from her belt and made to call Lindsay. The younger woman answered on the second ring.

"What is it Stella, I'm eating" Stella tried to suppress a grin at the woman's oh, so polite way of answering her phone.

"Hey don't kill the messenger, Mac wants you down at the scene ASAP, but I think it's all right if you finish your meal" she ended the call and was about to head down to help Danny with the clothes when she noticed a small white envelope on her desk, her name printed neatly on the front.  
...>

It was much later, well after lunch, when Lindsay and Mac returned from the crime scene, the bullet bagged and tagged. Mac went to catch up with Danny and Stella about the vic's clothes, while Lindsay trotted down with the bullet to ballistics.  
...>

She softly knocks on the door: "Hi", she says nervously, "hope I'm not interrupting you" Peter Hahn just shakes his head and waive for her to come in.

Lindsay continues: "I have a bullet here, no weapon, but it's relatively unharmed, maybe you can at least tell me what sort of weapon I should be looking for". She handed him the bullet, praying for the best, she knew it was a long shot that he would be able to tell just by looking at the bullet.

"Well, at least it's not a bullet from a gun. It's too long, I'd say some type of rifle, tell me about the case" He had been holding the bullet underneath a magnifier, but now he turned to Lindsay.

"Girl gunned down during her prom, no-one saw the shooter, and no-one saw it coming, apparently she just fell to the floor".

Peter pondered that for a moment, looking intently at the bullet before saying,  
"Maybe a sniper rifle then? You know, let me look into it and I'll get back to you, ok?"

Lindsay nodded, and started to walk down the hall it was next stop break room, she needed her coffee. After all, she thought, all work and no play make Lindsay a tired girl.  
...>

Mac found Danny in the layout room, a big green ball gown spread out over the table. He grabbed a white coat and pulled it on.

"How's it going?"

"Nuthin'", he shook his head in frustration. "Absolutely nuthin', but I didn't' expect to find anythin'. She was gunned down, not exactly physical?"

Mac nodded. This case threatened to go cold right form the start.

"Where's Stella" Mac asked, looking around

"Dunno, haven't seen her since this evenin'. Why?" Danny looked up at his boss, noticing a slight worry in the older man's eyes.

"She said she was going to help you down here, and that was before lunch"

Was it just Danny or did Mac seem irrationally worried, Stella always strayed and got caught up in things. He pointed this out to Mac.

"You're probably right," with that the supervisor turned on his heel and stalked down the hall.

A vibration in his left breast pocket alerted him to the fact that someone was trying to reach him. Flipping his phone open he answered: "Taylor"

"Hey, Mac" came Lindsay's voice over the line "semi-good news, I talked to ballistics and Peter is quite certain that the bullet is a .308 calibre, most commonly used in the L96 sniper rifle, we may have possible weapon identification".

"Good, start looking for someone who has that type of rifle registered"

"Mhm, already on it," came Lindsay's reply. The girl was always one step ahead.

Ending the call, Mac went in search of Stella.

A soft knock on her door alerted Stella to the man standing out side her office. She got up from the floor, trying in vain to dry the tears in her eyes, something which was not lost on Mac.

"Do you want to talk about it this time?" he asked softly, praying that she would finally assent.

To his relief, Stella gave her agreement and Mac entered the office completely closing the door behind him.


	3. 20 Little Prom Queens

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

AN: So, I was gonna let you sweat till thursday but nice girl I am I desided against it. In this chapter I've included some... hmm... hints to the three CSI shows, can you spott them, they are really easy (if you're obsessed with CSI that is). Anyway, I hope you'll like this chapter.  
Cheers  
La Suede

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**20 Little Prom Queens**

Stella sat down in the chair behind her desk and fingered a pencil, while Mac leaned against the side of her desk.

"When I got back in, there was a letter on my desk" she started. "It read, **'ode to the one who got away'** and suddenly this case became too real" she stopped for a second, breathing calmly and gathering her strength. When she felt better, she went on.  
"I will always remember my senior prom, I was elected prom queen, snatching the title away from many of the 'rich' girls with proper families," she smiled a half smile, which Mac returned. She went on.  
"But what I remember most clearly is my prom date falling down dying in my arms in the middle of the dance floor" she looked up at Mac, noticing the confusion in his face. She pulled up a summary of 19 cold case files and gestured for him to read.  
Mac mumbled out loud: "1987 Auburn, Alabama, Fay Green; 1988: Providence, Rhode Island, Marlee Yankovich; 1989: Miami, Florida, Nina West; 1990: Abilene, Kansas, Emily Northwood... this stretched out all the way to 2005: Scottsdale, Arizona, Cecilia Luton" he looked at her with a curious expression.  
"Yes, and now it's back in New York, you see they all got the same MO, except in 1986 Matt Freemont died instead of me"  
"These are just theories, Stella. Yes, I can see that we've got a possible serial killer on our hands but Stella, there's no reason to think this is linked to you somehow"  
Stella looked at him, two words coming from her lips: "The letter".  
Mac contemplated that bit of information: "OK, so let's see if I get this right, 20 years ago on your prom night your date was killed, and every year, in a new town, in a new state, another girl (_prom queen actually, Stella inserted_) gets shot to death, why?"  
"Because someone was overlooked." She looked into her partner's eyes. "By the way, did you know that I went to the same school as Elliot Daniels? Did you know that from the very first prom the school organized it has always been on the same date? A bit more than just coincidences now, don't you think".

Mac couldn't argue with that. It still seemed a bit far-fetched, but they had worked cases which were much stranger and which made even less sense than this. And yet, the question still remained. _Why would someone kill because they were overlooked in the election of prom queen?_

"Was the weapon ever identified?" Mac asked.  
Stella searched the files for some information, eyes darting back and forth along the lines of the computerized summaries.  
"Hmm, no, but in every case the bullet was a through and through, like in ours, and in all cases except one, the bullet was retrieved. No positive identification, but the bullet was suspected to be a .308 caliber"  
Mac went cold as he recalled Lindsay's words. With a tight voice he asked Stella about possible weapons. Though he already knew what the answer would be, he needed to hear it to make it real  
"In every case the ballistics expert has ruled the weapon most likely to be a L96 snipers rifle" Through the whole exchange Stella had not once looked up from the computer but now when she did, she noticed Mac's facial expression "what's wrong?"  
"I just finished talking to Lindsay, she'd been on the phone with Peter who just ruled the bullet to be the same caliber and the gun most likely a L96, " he paused as his eyes met hers. "You were right"

That did not bring Stella any kind of comfort or sense of victory, in fact it made her even more afraid than she already was. One thought ran relentlessly through her mind, 'What if she went after me? What if I get killed'?  
Mac was watching his partner. At times Mac could read Stella well, almost as if he could see her thoughts flash by in front of him, and this was one of those times. He could read the fear and uncertainty etched in her features. He leaned forward and squeezed her arm reassuringly  
"Don't worry Stella, nothings going to happen to you, do you hear? I won't let anyone hurt you".

Stella smiled, not entirely convinced, but decided Mac had too much on his mind at the moment to worry about her.


	4. All Good To Those Who Waits

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

AN: The end is nearing, not quite there yet. Hope I'm still keeping you entertained  
Cheers  
La Suede

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**All Good To Those Who Waits**

The night had ended and the dawn was breaking, Stella headed out of the building that held the CSI department. Walking her way against the steady flow of people on their way to early jobs, workout or whatever normal people (who didn't work graveyard shift) did in the morning. She had to get home; she had to have at least a couple of hours of sleep before returning to work, but she couldn't shake off a nagging feeling. Truth be told, she was a little bit shaky going home, casting anxious glances over her shoulder, while telling herself she was being ridiculous. Before walking down to the underground Stella swung by a small coffee shop, one she frequently used on her way to work. Known to the staff there, all she had to do was walk through the doors and her order would be on its way. On days when she was in a hurry she really appreciated that. Days like today, when she really didn't want to go home, she hated it. Graham-scone and Latte in hand, Stella forced her way down to the station. However, as fate would have it her line was delayed. What the higher powers conspired against her when line A was late, she didn't know. All she knew was that Line A was never late and yet, today it was. Resigning herself to her cursed luck, Stella occupied a bench on the station and sat down to eat her "dinner".

It took her almost two hours to get home; normally it would have taken 45 minutes or an hour at the most. To say that Stella was only mildly annoyed was an understatement. She had long ago finished her Spartan dinner and thrown it away. But when she reached her door, she could feel her recently ingested meal toss and turn in her stomach and her instinct told her that something was definitely not right. She reached to un-clip her gun holster, retrieved her SIG Sauer, and pointed the muzzle downwards, before slowly opening the door.

--------->

Lindsay was on a mission. She had realized that there were more people than she liked who had access to an L96, _legally_. She didn't even want to think of the possibility of people who had acquired an L96 _illegally.  
_Hence, she was now searching for Danny to force or guilt (_she didn't care, which_) him into helping her. Finding him in the break room eating a delayed dinner/lunch/breakfast (who knew with their work hours), she decided that the guilt tactic would work best. Stepping inside the glass cage that was the break room she spoke:  
"Some people are lucky" she sashayed over to the coffee pot and poured herself a mug.  
"Huh" came Danny's surprised answer.  
"I said '_some people are lucky_' I haven't eaten since... uh... I don't know... before I got here." She smirked to herself when she saw she had his full attention, "First I get called out in the middle of my un-finished lunch to help Mac get a bullet from a scene, then I had to process it, search for the weapon, you know the drill" she sighed. She knew she sounded a little bit whiny but when she got started it felt damn good "So I think it's more than justified that you do my search through the database or at the very least help me," she finished, waiting to see if he would buy her act. To her relief and slight surprise, Danny didn't seem too un-willing to help her, because he stood and ushered her out of the room.

An hour later, the list was still painfully long. Trying to narrow it down a bit Danny called Peter. He let six long tones pass by before he decided that Peter couldn't, for some reason or other, answer his call, he hung up. Deciding to try his luck with Mac he dialled his boss' number, he answered on the third ring.  
"Hey Mac", he said "the list of people with access to an L96 is painfully long, and that's just the legal ones. I don't think it's such a good lead after all."  
"Would you try narrowing it down to only woman?" came the supervisor's reply "Stella's got a theory that this is something that has been going on for the last 20 years"

Over the phone Mac explained in detail about the 19 other shootings and what he and Stella made of that. Danny felt himself nod in response, it sounded wacky but also, in some twisted way, logical. He hung up and turned to Lindsay, repeating the story. Reaching for the mouse clicker Lindsay changed the criteria for the search and a modified list started to upload in front of them.  
"Now this is definitely a neater list" Danny said, with a satisfied grin.  
Lindsay couldn't do anything but agree, instead of the countless numbers before there was now a short and comprehensive list of one hundred or so names. However they still needed to narrow it down.  
Danny once again called Mac.  
Bustling into the computer lab Mac breathed down their necks as they scanned the pages.  
"Look for anyone about the same age as Stella and who lived in New York around 1986" Mac ordered.  
Splitting the list in to three parts they continued the search. At the moment this was the best lead they had and there was little time to spare.  
The shrill ringing on Mac's cell phone interrupted their concentration about twenty minutes later.

--------->

Quietly walking into her flat Stella held her gun at a ready. Tense like a steel feather she was ready to spring in action at the first sign of trouble. Clearing the hallway, she opened the first door to the left. Cautiously looking inside the room she established that her bathroom was clear as well. Pressing up against the wall, taking long quiet steps Stella inched closer and closer to her living room and kitchen. As she stepped closer, she thought she could hear the sound of ripping fabric coming from somewhere inside. Quickly scanning the kitchen she moved on towards her bedroom. She looked inside and saw a woman with her back towards her, busy ripping her bed apart. Summoning her courage Stella held her SIG in front of her and stood clear in the doorway.  
"Freeze!" Stella commanded. "Turn around slowly and keep your hands where I can see them."  
The woman did as ordered and turned around her golden hair spinning slightly around her head. Without taking her eyes of the woman Stella reached for her phone, pressing speed  
dial-1. She waited for Mac to pick up his phone.  
"I think I've found our killer" Stella stated matter-of-factly "Found her in my flat, care to send down someone here". Not ten minutes later her flat was flooded with police officers and CSIs.


	5. Aftermath

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

AN: This is the final chapter, I don't know if you could call it chapter, it's more of an epilouge. I'm very greatful for all the nice rewievs I've got and I thank you for staying and readin my whole Fic, my first CrimeFic and multipal-chapter fic.  
Cheers  
La Suede

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**Aftermath**

Stella had been right. One of the many reasons Gloria Day had turned into a serial killer had been her failure to become prom queen, as she said in the interrogation "_If I could not feel the pleasure of winning, why should anyone?_" But this troubled Stella, she could very well remember Gloria from her school days. She could not say she was very close to her but she had known her, shared homeroom with her, and all her memories of Gloria Day were good ones: a girl with an appetite for life, ready to head out into the world. Stella couldn't keep from wondering what else lay beneath the surface, what other causes there might've been that had turned this lively, friendly girl into a serial killer.

She was no psychiatrist and she was no profiler, but Stella was human enough to understand that Gloria's sorrows ran deeper than simply missing prom queen. That's why she found herself the following Friday afternoon sitting on a stool in the computer lab looking for anything that might help her piece together the puzzle that was Gloria Day. But no matter where she looked she couldn't find it, there was no record of who she was and who she had been, except her drivers licence, gun licence and birth certificate. This woman was and would remain, until she decided to talk, a mystery.

Mac was on his way out that Friday afternoon deciding that, given the long hours he had pulled on this case, he could sneak out at a decent time for once. Walking past the computer lab he noticed Stella sitting on a stool. He walked in and stood next to her, and read over her shoulder. She noticed him there, for she started to talk.

"I wanted to know why, to me there must be something deeper down that even she doesn't realise, something that must have been triggered that day" she took a brief pause "but I can't find anything, this woman has really kept a tight leash on her life"

Placing a hand on her shoulder Mac spoke "Some things, Stella, you're just not meant to know," he said softly. He turned to walk away but stopped in the doorway "C'mon, I'll buy you a beer, heck I might even buy you dinner"

"I'd like that" Stella said as she stood and hung her lab coat on the clothes hanger and grabbed her bag from the floor. Linking her arm with his, they walked out of CSI and into the late New York afternoon.

_Fini

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_

_So what did you think, should I keep writing longer fics? I mustsay ithas been fun and I might do it again,if I get good insperation that is, but don'tbe so surprised if,in the future,I do._


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